I'm planning to take a flight from San Francisco (SFO) to Delhi (DEL) with a layover in Hong Kong (HKG) for 1 hour.
Does the Hong Kong International Airport have a security check for international transit? Would I be able to make it to my second flight within that 1-hour time frame?
Yes. You will go through a security checkpoint and then back up to the terminal level.
An hour may be tight and doesn't allow much margin for error, but assuming you have booked a single ticket, the airline believes there should be sufficient time and is responsible for getting you to your destination. If there is a significant queue or time is running short, make sure you speak to an airline representative, as they may be able to help expedite your connection by bringing you to the head of the line or driving you to your gate on a golf cart.
I went through this recently: 45 minutes between leaving one flight and getting on the other, with the same ticket.
I was picked at the arrival gate by some staff, who walked me through the airport to pass through two checks:
In both cases we jumped past a long queue, and I reached the gate in time.
If it can help you saving time by not fumbling in your pockets, boarding the second flight required only a face scan, which paired with the face scan they took when checking passport and boarding pass.
If I had had to go through it on my own I would have missed the connection, losing too much time in each of the checks.
Every time I landed in HKG, my home airport, I saw airline staff (usually CX/KA, since that's what I normally fly with) with sign boards for various flights, usually a tight connection, right outside the jetway.
They also call out the flight number and destination, as people, especially those in a hurry, tend to rush and not pay attention. They gather the passengers for the flight they're in charge of, and herd them to the departure hall, one floor up, via security checks. They may be allowed to cut in line, and the staff makes sure everybody gets there in time, without having to waste time looking for the gate. HKG is quite big, after all...
If the airline sold you the ticket as is, it's because they know they can help you get there in time. Note also that even if you had two tickets, but managed to check in all the way, as is quite common in Asia, they would have taken care of you just the same, as the signs just mention flights, not passenger names. Show your next boarding pass, and you can come along.
However, if you have to get your 2nd boarding pass from the transfer desk, all bets are off. One hour would probably be too short. But as you said, one ticket, so all good...
